Easier To Run
by altern-angel
Summary: Zutara song fic. Zuko runs through the woods, running from his past. He is wearing his Bleu Spirit mask. What will happen if he finds Katara crying over her past? Will he be himself or will he be the cold, hard prince he always seemed to be?
1. Easier To Run

_**Easier To Run – Linkin Park.**_

_its easier to run  
replacing this pain with something numb  
its so much easier to go  
than face all this pain here all alone  
_

A dark figure ran trough the forest at high speed. His clothes were black, his face hidden underneath a blue mask. Broad swords in each hand. Dodging the branches that hung low, trying to catch him. Trying to wound him, cause him pain. But what the trees didn't know, that this man was feeling a pain that could never be any worse. Only when he was running he couldn't feel the pain that he felt so deep within him. The pain of shame, lose, sadness, hurt, banishment. When he was running he felt numb.

So he kept running. He had left his uncle behind. He had left Iroh behind in the cell, back in Ba Sing Se. Trying not to think about the face that his uncle had made, Zuko had run to lake Loagai. He had dove in the cold water and after several attempts he had finally found his mask.

Zuko had made sure no one had followed him, that his sister hadn't followed him. Trying to convince him to fight on the side of the fire nation, the side of evil. He knew that the fire nation had started the war, he knew what his father had done to the air nomads, the water tribe, the earth kingdom and even to their own nation. He was blinded by the fact that he wanted his fathers love back. But now he could see it all clear now. He had seen in it his uncle's eyes. The war had to stop. But Zuko wasn't going to be a part of it.

He had escaped the wall's of Ba Sing Se and was now running towards a destiny unknown to him. The only thing he knew that he was going to be alone, for all eternity.

_something has been taken  
from deep inside of me  
a secret I've kept locked away  
no one can ever see_

Katara sat on a dead tree that hung over a small pound of water. She sighed as she looked at her reflection in the water, rubbing her necklace. Thoughts went back to a time her mother was still alive. Happy thoughts followed by sad thoughts. Pain took over her body when the image of her dead mother filled her mind.

Katara cried, but she never knew. Not until one teardrop fell in the water beneath her. She saw how the circle began to grow in the water, making her reflection from blurry to crystal clear. She kept starring at the water. Seeing how her reflection turned into that of her mother.

"I miss you." Katara said between her sobs. "If I had trained harder I could have stop the fire nation from killing you. I am sorry."

She hugged her knees and let her tears fall upon her dress. She felt so helpless, so sad. Katara had put up an act in front of the others. For them she seemed happy and full of confidence, little did they know how she really felt. She would never let them see how miserable she was. No, she needed to help Aang master all four elements, to stop the war.

_wounds so deep they never show  
they never go away  
like moving pictures in my head  
for years and years they've played  
_

He kept running. Jumping over dead trees, ducking under the branches, moving from left to right and back to the left, avoiding every tree that stood in his way. He felt the wind blow underneath the mask. Hoping that, one day the wind would blow away his memories about his home. Even the ones about his mother. Zuko didn't want anything to do with the war any more, and that meant his past as well. To many people he had let down. His father, his sister, his uncle, his mother.

'Mother, please forgive me. I am weak for running away, but I must. I can't fight in this war. I can't stand to see any more hate, murder, sadness.' Zuko's thoughts kept playing over and over in his mind, hoping his mother would hear them, somehow.

"_Everything I've done, I've done to protect you."_ A sad voice filled the woods.

Zuko stopped running as he heard the words his mother spoke, the last time he had seen her. He looked around only to see he was still alone. He shook his head and continued his journey at full speed.

_if I could change I would  
take back the pain I would  
retrace every wrong move that I made I would  
if I could  
stand up and take the blame I would  
if I could take all the shame to the grave I would_

Aang lay in his sleeping bag, trying to catch the sleep. But some how he couldn't. He stood up and walked away from the camp into the forest. His mind did not let him rest. Thoughts filled with Gyatso. Dead. His fault. Aang kept telling him self. He was not worth of being the Avatar. Jet he was and there was nothing he could do about it, he could only accept it. Maybe this was why he had a hard time mastering the avatar state.

Aang was told that everything always happened for a reason. But what was the reason for all of this? His absence for hundredth years, the death of all air nomads, the death of innocent people, the murder, the sadness. Aang didn't know, but he would find it out sooner or later. Until then he had to accept his role of being the avatar.

_if I could change I would  
take back the pain I would  
retrace every wrong move that I made I would  
if I could  
stand up and take the blame I would  
I would take all my shame to the grave _

Zuko kept running. He didn't know how long he was running, he only knew that he had to keep on moving. He would feel it if he had reached the end of his journey. Never once did he looked over his shoulder when he had entered the forest. He didn't want to see what he had left behind, or who he had left behind, his uncle. He would be better of without him any way.

Zuko only looked back on his actions he had done, the past few years. The mistakes he had made. He never should have chosen the side of Azula. He never should've refused to fight his father in the Agni Kai. He never should have spoken in the war room. He never should have let his mother go the way she did. Maybe Zuko should have never been born at all. Then his mother would have still been alive, and he would have never felt the pain he felt since his mother had left.

Zuko stopped for the second time since his escape. Maybe it was better if he were dead. Zuko looked down at his right. The broad sword he kept in his hand reflected the moonlight that fell on it.

Zuko lifted it up and put the sharp end on his chest. He inhaled deep and was ready to stab the sword in his heart, to end all misery, all the pain he felt for to long now, to end his life and join his mother.

His grip tightened around the other end of his broad sword, making his knuckles go with from the lack of blood flowing through them. He could do this now, ending his life.

A girl's cry made Zuko jerk his head to the left. He looked back to the sword on his chest and lowered it.

'This is not my destiny.' He thought as he followed the sound of the girl's cry.

_its easier to run  
replacing this pain with something numb  
its so much easier to go  
than face all this pain here all alone_

Katara couldn't take it anymore, she had to go. She had to run, hoping that when she did, she would forgot her pain. Let the wind blow away all her fear and pain.

She got up and started to run, no particular place in mind, just run into the woods, let fate decide where she would end up. She had passed about ten trees when she felt her body made contact with something soft. Katara felt down on the ground with a load thud. She looked up to the thing she had bumped into to. She couldn't see it clearly for it was dark. The light of the moon fell upon something bleu. Katara narrowed her eyes only to widen them as she saw what she had run into. A man with a bleu mask. Katara had seen him before on fire nation wanted posters. If he was wanted by the fire nation, then he wasn't evil.

"Sorry." Katara whispered as the man with the bleu mask held out a hand to help her get back on her feet.

"No I am sorry." He said as he helped the girl up.

'That voice, I think I've heard it before.' Katara thought as she gave the man with the bleu mask a puzzled look.

"Who are you?" Katara asked as she dusted of her clothes.

"A fugitive, like you." He answered, picking up his swords that had fallen to the ground when Katara had bumped into him.

"How do you know I am a fugitive?" Katara asked. She saw the man picking up his swords. "Why do you have those? What is your name? You are wanted by the fire nation as well, isn't it?"

"To many questions." Zuko said as he looked at Katara from head to toe. Was this his destiny?

"Sorry." Katara said. Was this where fate would let her end up? "What is your name?"

"The Blue Spirit." Zuko said, not wanting her to know who he really was. "I have to go."

Katara grabbed his arm as the man tried to walk away. "No wait."

Silence was upon them for a moment when Zuko had hold his step. Katara had let go of his arm.

"Do you believe in fate?" She asked him. Katara heard him let out a sigh.

"I was told that, we are the ones who make our own destinies." The Bleu Spirit spoke.

_sometimes I remember  
the darkness of my past  
bringing back these memories  
I wish I didn't have_

They kept starring at each other until Katara spoke again.

"You seem lonely."

"I am." Zuko replied. He thanked Agni for the mask. With the mask on he could be his self. He didn't had to worry about what people would think of him because, they didn't know who he really was. "Are you lonely?"

Katara looked at the ground. "Yes." She was lonely, she felt lonely. Katara let out a sigh. "I have been traveling with friends for the past half year, but still I feel lonely. Ever since my mother had died, there has been a part of me that felt empty. No matter how many people are around me, I still feel the same way."

"Do you feel lonely at this time?" Zuko didn't know why he asked this question but it felt like the right thing to ask. 'Fate?'

Katara looked up to the man in the bleu mask and repeated the question in her mind, then she searched her feelings.

"No, no I don't." She said with a smile on her face. "Maybe because I'm with someone who is lonely to. Do you feel lonely at this time?"

Zuko smiled underneath his mask. "No, not any more."

_  
sometimes I think of letting go  
and never looking back  
and never moving forward so  
there would never be a past_

"I am sorry for asking you such a personal question." Zuko asked as he got irritated by the silence that had fallen between them.

"That is okay." Katara said as she moved her hands to the mask on Zuko's face. "The greatest thing about wearing a mask is, that you can completely be yourself. You won't have to think about how your actions will effect on other people. They will never find out who is underneath it." She placed her hand on the mask and rubbed it gently.

Zuko felt the warmth of her touch through the mask.

"You are completely anonymous, you are completely free." Katara continued. "Only you know who you are."

'_Never forgot who you are.'_

"I have lost my mother too." Zuko said, voice filled with pain. "She had died because of me."

"I am sorry." Katara said as she moved her hand away.

"Sometimes I wish I had never been born at all." Zuko almost whispered.

"Don't think that way. Everything happens for a reason, even if we don't know what the reasons are." Katara said as she placed her hand on her necklace. "The fire nation took my mother away from me." A tear slid down her cheek at the memories of that awful day. She felt a hand on her cheek, a thumb whipped her tear away.

"That is something we have in common."

_if I could change I would  
take back the pain I would  
retrace every wrong move that I made I would  
if I could  
stand up and take the blame I would  
if I could take all the shame to the grave I would_

_if I could change I would  
take back the pain I would  
retrace every wrong move that I made I would  
if I could  
stand up and take the blame I would  
I would take all my shame to the grave_

_That is something we have in common._ The sentence haunted her thoughts. Could it be, was he really?

Zuko saw her puzzled look.

"Please tell me your real name." Katara said. She had to know. If this man was who she thought he was, then he had to show himself.

"No, you've said it your self that, if one wears a mask he could be himself without watching his steps. That is what I am doing now. I am being myself. If I tell you my name, you would run away. I would hurt you." Zuko looked at the ground and whispered. "And I don't want to hurt you."

Katara was silent for a moment as she thought about what the masked man just had said. 'He says he is his self.'

If this man is who she thought he was, then this man had put on an act every time they had met. She hated that person, but this person, the one with the mask, Katara liked him. He was nice, understanding, caring.

_just washing it aside  
all of the helplessness inside  
pretending I don't feel so misplaced  
is so much simpler than change_

"Sorry. You are right. I trust you." Katara said. "I've been putting on a mask myself in front of my friends and brother."

"What do you mean?" Zuko asked.

"You see, they think I am happy with my self. They don't know that I feel guilty for the death of my mother. I am a water bender. If had trained instead of playing with the children of my tribe then I could have safe my mother from her death." Tears ran down her cheeks and Katara turned around. She felt a hand on her shoulder.

"You were a child. Even if you had trained, she still had died. Things always happens for a reason." Zuko whispered as he turned Katara around. Katara's tears stopped from falling down her cheeks. The space between them got smaller by every breath they took.

"Things do happen for a reason." Katara said as she placed her hands on the mask. Zuko flinched a bit.

"I won't take it of all the way." Katara said as she looked in the eyes of the masked man. She was sure who he was now, he was who she thought he was, but not completely. His body was from the man she had met several times before and who she hated, but his heart and his soul were from the man she had spoken with the past half hour.

Katara moved away the mask, only to expose his lips enough for her to kiss them.

"It takes one moment to notice one, it takes one moment to make up your mind about some one, it only takes one moment to fall in love with someone, with you." Katara said as she moved closer.

_its easier to run  
replacing this pain with something numb  
its so much easier to go  
than face all this pain here all alone_

Aang had walked for an hour now. His mind had seemed to be free from his haunted thoughts and he was now heading back towards the camp. He suddenly stopped when he spotted something that made his blood run cold.

'No, it can't be. Why?' Aang thought as tears ran down his cheeks. There in the middle of the woods stood Katara. She was kissing The Bleu Spirit, Zuko.

"Katara!!! Stop!! Do you know who he is?!" Aang shouted as he ran towards them. Katara and Zuko ended their kiss and Zuko turned around.

"Don't." Zuko hissed at Aang. "Do not tell her who I am."

"You know who he is?" Katara asked Aang with a questioned face.

"Yes, he had saved me from Zhao. He is…" Aang never finished his sentence as he got hit by a small fire blast.

"I said, Do not tell her!!!" Zuko yelled. Aang avoided the second fire blast, coming towards him and jumped over Zuko and grabbed the mask off of his face.

"Aang, please leave. I can handle this my self." Katara said angrily at Aang as he landed down in front of her.

"But you don't know who he is." Pointing at Zuko who was still with his back towards Katara.

"Leave!!" Katara yelled. She felt guilty once she saw the hurt look in Aang's eyes as he walked away in defeat. But the things she was about to say weren't the things Aang need to hear.

_its easier to run_

_if I could change I would  
take back the pain I would  
retrace every wrong move that I made_

_its easier to run_

"I am sorry." Zuko whispered as he turned around to face Katara. "I don't blame you for hating me." He hung his head in defeat. He was sure Katara would yell at him for being a liar, a traitor.

"I knew who you were. You aren't the man you tried to be." Katara said as she walked over to Zuko. He gave her a puzzled look as he did so.

"You are the person behind the mask. The person I love." Katara said as she moved closer and placed one hand on his scar.

Zuko jerked his head away from her touch.

"You can't love me. My nation has killed your mother. How can you love someone from a nation that has hurt you so much?" Zuko said as he turned around.

"I love you, not your nation. And your mother was also killed by the fire nation." Katara said as she lowered her hand.

_if I could change I would  
take back the pain I would  
retrace every wrong move that I made I would  
if I could  
stand up and take the blame I would  
I would take all my shame to the grave_

"I have to go." Zuko said as he started to walk away. "My destiny is waiting for me."

"Please don't. Make your own destiny. Stay with me." Katara said almost crying.

Zuko turned around as he heard her cry. A sad look came upon his face. He had to go. He had to continue his journey, and the journey didn't stop here, not jet.

"Do you believe in fate?" He asked Katara as he put a hand underneath her chin and tilled her head so that she would have to face him.

"I don't know." Katara said between her sobs.

"Well, do believe in it, because fate will bring us back together, when time is right." Zuko said, he kissed her softly on her lips. Enjoying her taste for on last time until they would meet again.

"I have to go now." Zuko whispered against her lips.

"Then go." Katara whispered back, voice filled with sadness. "I love you."

Zuko turned around and started to walk away from Katara. "I love you too." He whispered too soft for Katara to hear.

The wind played with his words for minutes. Katara had walked back to the camp. She kept crying the whole time and she would, until she would see him again. The wind blew a string of hear in Katara's face. Then the wind spoke with the voice of The Bleu Spirit, the voice of Zuko.

"_I love you too."_

_I hope you liked it. I loved writing this fic. Please review. :P_


	2. What Have you Done Now

_A/N: This song fic is set after chapter 1. Zuko had traveled to the fire nation in an attempt to stop his father. But lies and rumors about him had spread across the fire nation and soon the whole world. Now Zuko had to travel back to Katara to tell him why he traveled back to his home. The war is still going on._

_**What have you done now**_

I know I'd better stop trying  
You know that there's no denying  
I won't show mercy on you now  


A dark figure ran trough the woods, high speed, each hand holding a broad sword. The woods were dark and nothing but the mans footsteps were heard. Ducking and dodging every tree branch, he continued his path. The trees hung low and occasionally, the moon shone on the man's face. Actually, the moon shone on his mask, a blue mask with white markings.

He was running from the lies and rumors that had spread through the whole world. He had to out run them for the one he loved should not hear the lies and rumors.

_**I know I should stop believing  
I know that there's no retrieving  
It's over now  
What have you done**_

'This can't be true.' Katara thought once she over heard two earth kingdom peasants talking to each other. She walked closer towards the two men, pretending to be interested in the stuff one of the men was selling.

"I tell you, the banished prince has returned to the fire nation and agreed to help his father win the war." One of the men spoke.

"I always thought the Fire Lord hated his son." The other one said.

"Apparently not. Some of the fire nation had seen prince Zuko in the palace of his father. And some of them even saw them together making devilish plans."

Katara couldn't bare to hear the rest and turned away. Her thoughts were like a whirlwind in her head.

'Why? Why have you agreed to help your father?' Katara's eyes began to fill up with tears. Once she had left the market she began to ran towards the spot she had met Zuko a few weeks before. The same spot he told her that he wouldn't be a part of the war anymore. The same spot they kissed.

'How could he?' Katara let her fall down to her knees and slammed one hand on the ground hard. She believed him, she trusted him, she loved him.

_**What have you done now**_

Zuko ran as hard as he could. He was running for the past 4 days now and finally the woods became familiar to him. He didn't know for sure if Katara would still be here but he'll find it out sooner or later. All he knew was that he had to find her before she would find out the lies. She would hate him if she heard the rumors about him helping his father win the war. She would hate him to no end.

Normally he couldn't care less about the lies that were told about him. Only this lie, he didn't want for Katara to hear. He had promised her he wouldn't be a part of the war anymore. If she heard people talking about how the banished prince was helping his father, he knew she would be heartbroken. He could not let that happen.

_**I, I've been waiting for someone like you  
But now you are slipping away  
What have you done now  
Why, Why does fate make us suffer  
There's a curse between us  
Between me and you**_

Katara lay on the ground crying her heart out. She loved Zuko but he had put a knife in her back. It hurt so much. No words could describe the pain in her heart, it was almost as hurtful as the pain she felt when she lost her mother. Katara had though that Zuko would be the one she'd marry later on in life. She thought he understood her, for he had lost his mother too.

But now, knowing what she knew, Katara wasn't so sure any more about the love she felt for him.

Many people had said to her two opposites don't mix well. If they would end up in a relationship a horrible curse would be upon the two lovers. Katara had always thought that was a lie. To prevent the mixing of different nations. She never believed anyone about that, until now.

'Maybe they are right. Maybe two of different nations can't be together. Even though it felt so good.' She thought as she whipped away her tears and sat up straight. But how could be a thing that felt so great be such a bad thing? I didn't make sense, not at all.

_**What have you done  
What have you done now  
What have you done  
What have you done now**_

Thinking about their first kiss Katara began too cry again. Her heart was aching at the thought that Zuko had betrayed her.

"What have you done?" She cried out to the sky as if Zuko would hear her words. "How could you betray me this way? I loved you!" Katara let her head fell in her hand as she felt her breath became unsteady. Soon her whole hand was wet from her tears. At first she didn't noticed but soon she couldn't cry tears anymore. She could only sob.

'What am I doing? Why am I crying for that basterd?' She thought as she attempt to dry her cheeks with her wet hand. Katara got up and watched the sky became dark. The sun had set and the moon began to rise.

He was getting closer and soon he could hear the sobs of the water tribe girl. He slowed down and hid behind a tree when he saw her crying on the ground. His heart broke in to a thousand of pieces when he saw Katara. She must have heard the lies already.

Zuko wanted to comfort her, but he was the one who had brought these feelings upon her. He watched her get back to her feet and watched her looking at the sky. He had to tell her that what she heard were all lies. Lies and nothing more.

Zuko took of his mask, let his swords fall on the ground and walked towards the girl.

Katara turned around as she heard some one walking to her. Her face turned red in anger once she saw who the person was.

"How dare you to show your face around me?" She hissed at Zuko. "How dare you to come back to me!!" She began to yell.

"Katara, please…" Zuko began.

_**Would you mind if I killed you  
Would you mind if I tried to  
Cause you have turned into my worst enemy  
You carry hate that I feel  
It's over now  
What have you done**_

"Have you any idea of what you have done?" She screamed at Zuko. "I believed you! Heck, I even loved you!" Her blood was boiling.

"Listen to me." Zuko tried.

"Why? So I can hear your lies again?" She turned around so her back was facing Zuko. "So you can betray me again?" Katara clenched her fists and her knuckles began to became white from the lack of blood running through them.

"I did not betray you." Zuko said trying to be calm. Why wouldn't she just listen to him? Her attitude made him angry.

"Oh sure and you also didn't betray me back in Ba Sing Se?" Katara said tears running down her cheek once more. "Leave!"

"No I wont. Not until you listen to me!" Zuko couldn't hide the anger in his voice anymore.

"I won't listen to you. You only tell lies!" Katara said as she turned around to face the fire bender. "Now leave before I make you leave!"

Zuko was shocked when he saw the face of the water bender. Her eyes were all red from crying and she looked so tiered and broken. Still he was angry at her for not listening to him.

"Then make me." Zuko said.

"Fine!" Katara yelled as she bended some water from her flask. Without any warning she send a water whip towards Zuko who avoided it by jumping backwards. She send an other whip towards him and then an other one. Zuko just avoided them by jumping away from them. This made the water bender even more angrier than she already was.

_**What have you done now**_

"I won't fight you." He said while blocking the water Katara had send towards him by a small wall of fire. "But if you won't calm down and listen to what I have to say, I might end up hurting you."

"You already did!" Katara said as she lowered her arms and let the water float in mid air.

_**I, I've been waiting for someone like you  
But now you are slipping away  
What have you done now  
Why, Why does fate make us suffer  
There's a curse between us  
Between me and you**_

"You told me you wouldn't be a part of the war anymore." Katara said while she calmed down a little. "You promised me."

Zuko looked at the ground below him. That was true, he promised her he wouldn't be a part of this war any more, but he had to try and explain things to her. If only she would listen.

"Let me explain." Zuko tried as he saw Katara had calmed down and had bended her water back in her flask. She looked at him with her two blue eyes.

"Don't." She said and turned around and started to walk away.

'Don't let her go, you fool.' He thought to himself. He grabbed Katara by the wrist and spun her around so she had to face him and looked deep in her eyes.

"Let go of me." She said through her teeth. "This instant."

"Not until I explained things to you." Zuko said, still looking in her eyes.

_**What have you done  
What have you done now  
What have you done  
What have you done now**_

Katara looked back into Zuko's eyes. Would she really want to hear the truth form him? Could she bare it? Probably not. But didn't he deserve the chance to explain him self? Yes he did, but the anger that still was rushing through her body had the upperhand.

With her free hand Katara bended some water out of her flask again and quickly wrapped it around Zuko's neck. His eyes widen in shock, for it had gone to quick for him to see.

"If you don't let me go, I will suffocate you." Katara said. She tried to hide the pain she was feeling. She did not want to kill him but her anger was taking over control.

Zuko did not answer, he just stood there, still holding her wrist. Katara tightened the grip around Zuko's neck and moved her head to the side so she couldn't see his face turn red from the lack of oxygen.

"Yes, I have gone back to the fire nation." Zuko began. He had a hard time talking but he knew that he had to do it now.

"Let go of my wrist." Katara hissed and tightened the grip some more. She froze the water around his neck.

Zuko coughed and tried to be strong. He continued. "I… went there… to try…"

"Shut up!" Katara yelled, still not looking at him. She closed her eyes and tears ran down her cheek again.

"To try… and stop…" Zuko coughed and put his free hand on the necklace of ice, trying to get some space between his throat and the ice.

"Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!" Katara yelled.

"To stop…" Zuko didn't finished his sentence and Katara felt the grip around her wrist loosen. She then quickly freed her arm and pushed Zuko to the ground hard. She still wasn't looking at him but she heard something break.

'I didn't break his… did I?' She thought as she opened one eye. Katara looked at Zuko who was laying on the ground. She was relieved when she saw it was the ice around his neck that had broken. She was even more relieved when Zuko started to cough and began to move. He was going to be alright. She turned around and wanted to leave.

_**I will not fall  
Won't let it go  
We will be free  
When it ends**_

"Now…" Zuko began between his coughs. "Would you please listen to me?"

Katara stopped for a second and looked back over her shoulder. Zuko was sitting up straight and was rubbing his neck while still coughing.

"I don't know if I want to hear your excuses." Katara whispered. She hugged her self once she felt the pain of betray run through her body.

Zuko stood up but he still suffered from the lack of oxygen in his head and felt dizzy. He walked over to Katara but soon he couldn't fight the dizziness and fell down.

Katara turned around and saw Zuko laying on the ground once more. She rushed over to him and helped him sit up straight.

"Katara, I am sorry." Zuko began the moment his head cleared out the dizziness. "I promised you I wouldn't be a part of the war anymore."

"Then why?" Katara asked him.

Zuko looked in her eyes and tried to find the right words, only there were none. There was only the truth.

"Promise me you let me finish what I have to tell you." Zuko said. "After that you can kill me if you like."

"I promise." Katara said as she sat down in front of Zuko. He sighed. Finally he could tell Katara the truth.

"I know I told you I wouldn't be a part of the war anymore and I intended to keep it that way." Zuko sighed, this was going to be hard for him. "Only after a few days being apart from you I…" He swallowed and began to whisper. "I started to miss you."

"Why didn't you came back?" Katara asked.

"Because of the war." Zuko answered. "We can't be together if the war is still happening."

"I know what you mean." Katara said looking at the ground in front of her. "We can only be free if this war ends." 

_**I, I've been waiting for someone like you  
But now you are slipping away  
What have you done now  
Why, Why does fate make us suffer  
There's a curse between us  
Between me and you**_

Zuko looked at Katara who was still looking at the ground in front of her. He took her chin in his and hand tilled her head so that she had to face him.

"After a few days without you I started to feel empty. I figured it was because I had no goal." Zuko cleared his throat and continued. "I went back home. I wanted to stop the war, so I could be with you. Once I had reached the fire nation I went to the palace to try and stop my father, even if that meant I had to kill him."

"You would kill your own father to stop the war?" Katara asked him. Zuko nodded.

"I searched for him trough the whole palace, but I couldn't find him. I guess I wasn't careful enough and some servants may have seen me in my fathers war room. I think that is when the rumors had begun."

"So the lies had some truth in them." Katara said. "You _were_ in the fire nation, but not with the purpose everyone told each other."

"No, I was there because I love you and wanted to be with you." Zuko said. "And I still do. I can only hope you still want to be with me. I am sorry for the pain I've caused"

Katara let the words Zuko had just spoken to her go over her mind once more. She then sighed. She felt stupid for not listening to him earlier.

"No I am the one who should be sorry." Katara whispered. "I should have let you tell your side of the story. I should have trusted you."

A grin appeared on Zuko's face. "Yeah, you should have."

"Don't toy with me, Zuko." Katara said as she became insulted by his remark. It was worse enough for her to feel guilty, she didn't need for him to make jokes about it.

"Sorry." Zuko said. He leaned over to Katara and grabbed her by her waist and turned her around so she was leaning with her back against his chest. They sat in silence for a few minutes until Katara spoke.

"Can you ever forgive me for not trusting you?" She asked Zuko while he was stroking her hair.

"Only if you forgive me for hurting you." He answered and placed a kiss on her head.

"I think I will forgive you." Katara sighed and a small smile came upon her face.

"Then you are forgiven too." Zuko said. After this, things got silence again and they enjoyed each other presents, for both knew they would be separated soon.

"I have to go." Zuko said while getting up. "I have to stop my father." Katara too, stood up.

"You know Aang, Toph, my brother and I will probably try and stop him as well." Katara said as she looked at Zuko who picked up his mask from the ground.

"I know. I guess I will see you when we face my father." Zuko answered as he looked down at his mask he held in his hands. He turned to face Katara and she hugged him before he had to go. Zuko put his hand underneath Katara's chin and kissed her with all the love he felt for her. Who knew, this might be the last time he got to kiss her.

"Go." She whispered after breaking the kiss. "Go and try not to get killed on your way to the fire nation."

"I'll try." Zuko said as a smile came on his face. "And you, try not to do any stupid things while I am gone."

"I won't." She answered. "Now, go."

Zuko nodded and started to walk away from Katara. He looked back over his shoulder.

"I love you." He said before disappearing in the woods.

"I love you too." Katara sighed. She watched him fade with the shadows of the trees and started to walk back to the others. 'I will see you soon.'


End file.
